Here is an odd turn of events from AT&T - in what seems like a strange move by them, they are going to start offering you higher data caps so that you can use more data per month without overages. The only prerequisite? You'll have to shell out an extra five dollars per month. Now before you pre-judge the fact that it will cost more, you should take note that for just five dollars, you are getting a rather large data increase. It's actually a pretty good deal compared to what you're paying for now if you're on the tiered plans.

Currently, if you are paying monthly for a capped data plan from AT&T, then you are on one of the following plans:

$15/month gets you 200MB/month

$25/month gets you 2GB/month

$45/month gets you 4GB/month with tethering

The new data plans that AT&T will be offering are as follows:

$20/month gets you 300MB/month

$30/month gets you 3GB/month

$50/month gets you 5GB/month with tethering

If you're on the 256MB plan already, then upgrading to the 300MB plan for $5 more per month doesn't make much sense. But if you're on either of the other two plans, then $5 gives you a whole extra gigabyte to play around with. I think that is a pretty good deal, considering the fact that 2GB = $25 meaning that you're paying around $12.50 per gigabyte. So getting an extra one for $5 is a steal. I currently have the 2GB plan and I will be upgrading to the 3GB plan as soon as I get the chance to.

These new tiers will become available to you beginning January 22nd. You can upgrade online, over the phone, or through an AT&T store near you. If you are grandfathered into the unlimited data plan, then this change will not affect you and you can keep your unlimited data. If you are on the current AT&T plans and you plan to upgrade to the new plans on January 22nd, you can upgrade without renewing your contract for another two years. So you can upgrade and cancel your contract one month after you upgrade without paying a cent more for early termination fees (assuming that you've completed 2 years of your contract already).

Will you upgrade to the new AT&T data plans if you're currently tiered on AT&T's network? Share in the comments.

Let's be clear, none of this is a "steal". The only one stealing anything is ATT with their ridiculous charges. To hell with giving your loyal customers a break and upping the limit, it's only $5 more a month, right? Stop being a sheep, unless you're on their payroll. Wouldn't surprise me.

Hmm AT&T must be able to support the increase in caps from all the grandfathered unlimited plans they slashed... Fortunately I don't have a JB for my 4S so I haven't been able to tether hehe I still wish the govt wouldve allowed the acquisition of Tmobile... :/

Let's be clear, none of this is a "steal". The only one stealing anything is ATT with their ridiculous charges. To hell with giving your loyal customers a break and upping the limit, it's only $5 more a month, right? Stop being a sheep, unless you're on their payroll. Wouldn't surprise me.

Let's be clear, none of this is a "steal". The only one stealing anything is ATT with their ridiculous charges. To hell with giving your loyal customers a break and upping the limit, it's only $5 more a month, right? Stop being a sheep, unless you're on their payroll. Wouldn't surprise me.

I am in total agreement. I would love to know what AT+T's Base cost including R&D and Maintenance for the Bandwidth they offer you. Just like the cost of production on any product or service. I jail broke and jumped to T-Mobile because I have no bandwidth limits! I believe it cost them very little to give you this extra bandwidth and therefore believe this is a mere game of Three Card Monte performed by these Mountebanks for the Sheeple to be Bilked of yet another 5 Dollars for Services Un-Rendered.

Does it actually cost any cell provider money to give different tiers of data? Besides electricity costs and paying for their staff, beyond the original cost of the network equipment and infrastructure there's nothing to pay for between allowing a customer to use 1Gb and 10Gb.. The amount is just an amount and doesn't refer to anything that can even be measured conventionally.. Consider the fact that all the data on the Internet weighs approximately 70g.. Besides the infrastructure required (which is already there) there's almost nothing.

Exactly! I'm still on the unlimited plan but in the top 5% which is bull💩! I'm already out of my contract so in a couple of months I'll be leaving to Verizon. I know I'll lose my unlimited data but @ least I won't be capped out & more options as far as 4G LTE & phones... I'm kind of getting bored with the iPhone, I've had it since day 1.

Unfortunately it's no longer unlimited. If you use too much they will throttled your connection rendering your phone's data connection useless.

This is the truth. I averaged like 30-40gb of data per month the last 5 months, last month they throttled me back at ~2.4gb, then this month already right at 3.1gb used. It's total bs. Half tempted to take my iPhone to straight talk but I'm sure theyll throttle that too once enough people go that route.

Next year when Sprint gets the iPhone 5,6, LTE whatever its called it will certainly have 4G and all this will be a non issue because you can use the 4G and talk and they have unlimited plans and will always have unlimited plans.. AT&T is changing because they are losing people every day due to connectivity issues and throttling.